Movie Star Messi: Is the upcoming Lionel Messi movie ridiculous?

Well, sports movies are a common entity in the common day. There’s nothing wrong with that. Some of my favorite movies are sports movies (ironically, a rugby movie’s my favorite: Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela in Invictus is brilliant). However, movies are usually made years after an event has completed. Maybe we’ve seen something a little different in the form of the Blind Side, where a player’s career was just beginning upon release. Yet, this next sports movie seems a little ridiculous.

Leo Messi will be the subject of a Rocky-esque film to be released soon

Barcelona’s star Lionel Messi is currently working in collaboration with Spanish film producer Álex de la Iglesia on a Spanish-language film about his earlier life. The movie producer told media that Messi’s recent recovery from injury was worthy of a script itself; however, this film is more about Lionel’s early life. The script will be co-written by former Real Madrid player and coach Jorge Valdano. Although this seems strange, Valdano said he jumped at the opportunity because of personal similarities (both from Rosario, grew up supporting Newell’s Old Boys and began in Newell’s academy). The script will contain some documentary as well as fictitious scenes.

I think the question we need to ask is: Is this just ludicrous? The answer to that is yet another question: Has Lionel Messi become worthy of his own film?

I think that an athlete being documented in a film is totally normal. ConsideringCristiano Ronaldo has his own museum in Funchal, it’s more than logical to make a movieabout an athlete. Looking at Messi’s life, it’s tough not to prove that his career isn’t worthy of a movie. Although I feel it would be more on the lines of Money Ball (a drama about sports), there’s nothing wrong with that. Messi was a huge prospect while at Newell’s in Rosario, Argentina and was attracting the attention of many different larger clubs. For example, River Plate of Argentina, a much larger club than Newell’s, was ready to give Messi a shot. However, they found out about Messi’s condition. Messi has a growth hormone deficiency which required a payment of $900 dollars a month in treatment. River Plate wouldn’t pay for the treatment, and Messi never made the move. However, FC Barcelona were made aware of his ability by way of some Catalonian relatives of Messi. He was given a trial at the club and soon after, Barcelona’s sporting director Carles Rexach pulled out a napkin and a pen for Messi to sign his contract. If that’s not a blockbuster, what is?

Cristiano Ronaldo has his own museum. Why can’t Messi have a movie?

So is Messi’s movie ridiculous? Absolutely not. First, it will be decent considering Goya Award winning producer Álex de la Iglesia will be in charge. Next, his life story is spectacular. When you have a kid with that much talent and a stipulation, an easy blockbuster can exist. Let alone the whole process with River Plate and Barça. A movie about Messi is nothing in comparison to a whole museum dedicated to Cristiano Ronaldo in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. Messi should be allowed to make a movie about his life; even though I won’t be able to understand the film, I look forward to watching it with English subtitles!